Day 102? 

First off, I finished. My journey is complete. I don’t know what my actual mileage is, but it’s close to 2300. I’ve lost track of the days but it’s close enough. Who’s keeping count anyway?  Thank you to everyone that helped along the way. I’m grateful for so many new friendships!

I’ll admit, I was very emotional once my feet hit that boat ramp. It was over 3 months of really hard work. It’s a lot harder than you can imagine. It’s harder than I can ever describe.  I’m exhausted. My body really hurts. My mind hurts. My memories keep me going.  

I started this journey a pretty pitiful individual. I’m not going into details again. I can honestly say, I’m not that man now. I can see a better, clearer future than I ever have before. I’ve learned who good people are, and there’s so many of them! I’ve learned it’s OK to let your guard down sometimes and just trust in where you’re going and the people you meet. Make sure you give back all that kindness. It’s not yours to keep.  I’ve learned that you don’t need fancy things to live beautifully. Life is exactly how you live it. That will make sense to you one day, I promise.  

I could lay here and try to describe these past few days but I believe that’s impossible. I can’t describe the feelings involved when a wild hog is snorting and sniffing right by you head 1:30 in the morning. I can’t describe what it feels like to bathe in a river with an alligator watching you intently. I can’t describe the smell of the bayou after a hard rain. There’s no words to describe the feeling you get rounding every bend of the river and treasure it holds. Maybe I’m just not good with adjectives, but even if I were, they wouldn’t even come close to giving you those feelings. 

I’m sad. I’m excited. I’m unsure of what the future really holds, but i think it’s going to be great!  My first picture might explain why.